Plotted: A Literary Atlas
Andrew DeGraff, with essays by Daniel Harmon. Zest (HMH, dist.), $24.99 (128p) ISBN 978-1-936976-86-7
llustrator DeGraff has created a collection of maps that are paired with essays by Harmon (Super Pop!), illuminating classic works of literature in fun and appealing new ways. Through these intricate and inventive illustrations, DeGraff seeks to create visual representations for some of his favorite works that "provide a sense of contour%E2%80%94sometimes literal and sometimes metaphorical." Many of the stories depicted are from classic works of children's literature (such as The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn and A Wrinkle in Time), and all are plotted intricately with vibrant colors. DeGraff also includes sophisticated renderings from the works of Shakespeare, Kafka, Borges, Homer, Austen, and Verne. Some representations are maps in the common sense, with DeGraff tracing the movements of Odysseus around the Mediterranean, Scrooge and company around London, or Hamlet et al. through the rooms of Elsinore castle. Some feature diagrams, such as the depiction of the Pequod from Moby Dick, while others are more abstract; DeGraff plots the romantic courses of the characters of Pride and Prejudice in an intertwined rollercoaster-like structure. Harmon's brief ruminations on these works add an additional dimension to the maps. This is a rewarding excursion across the literary landscape that will be cherished by map enthusiasts as well as bibliophiles. Color illus. (Oct.)
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Reviewed on: 09/28/2015
Genre: Nonfiction